Investment in safety improvements has seen Holden’s 2008 Barina awarded a four-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The previous model, first released three years ago, obtained one of the worst crash test results in recent times - a lowly two stars out of a possible five.

Prior to 2005, the Barina was sourced from Europe where it was based on a four-star Opel Corsa platform. Holden controversially switched its operations to Korea so it could base the Barina on a Daewoo Kalos platform.

Holden felt the decision was necessary to make the car more profitable - the Barina currently ranks fifth in the competitive small car segment behind the Toyota Yaris, Mazda2, Hyundai Getz and the Suzuki Swift.

When the Korean-built model was subsequently tested and awarded a two-star rating, Holden received widespread criticism from safety authorities.

That criticism appeared to strike a chord with the buying public. According to NRMA vehicle safety expert, Jack Haley, Holden was faced with declining market sales and had no option but to improve the Barina's safety rating. ANCAP representatives met with designers in Korea to achieve this goal.

"Holden has put effort into improving the passenger compartment's structure and reducing the risk of knee injury," Haley said. "The company has also made head-protecting side airbags standard and added a driver seatbelt reminder. These improvements have contributed to the Barina three-door hatch reaching a four-star rating."

This positive result, however, is dampened by Holden's decision to offer anti-lock brakes - an important crash safety feature - as an optional extra only. It also has no plans to introduce electronic stability control to the Barina.

Holden product communications manager, Kate Lonsdale, said the prevailing market forces affected the decision to charge extra for anti-lock brakes. "It's still a very price-sensitive market," she said. On the matter of electronic stability control, she added, "We’re always looking to improve our vehicles but we have nothing new on that at this stage."  

Lonsdale said the car's body shell had been redesigned to spread the crash load over a wider area and that the car's centre pillar was reinforced with high-strength steel. She added that the four-star result "confirms the effectiveness of our various safety improvements".

Technical services director for the Australian Automobile Association, Craig Newland, welcomed the Barina's improved safety rating but said the four-star rating was, in effect, a return to the level it had achieved several years ago.

"It is pleasing that the safety performance of the 2008 Barina has been improved, but it has really only regained lost ground. It is now up to the manufacturer to further improve the safety of this vehicle. We are now seeing far more four- and five-star safety rated vehicles on the Australian market and we urge Australian vehicle manufacturers and importers to aspire to achieve these high levels of safety for motorists."   

Holden has sold more than 34,000 current-model Barinas since its Australian launch in 2005. The 2008 model joins a range of other four-star vehicles in the small-car class. For a full list of ANCAP safety ratings and other safety information, visit mynrma.com.au/motoring.

Open Road e-zine December 2008

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